Guatemala Agricultural Biotechnology Annual 2014
Guatemala does not allow commercialization of genetically engineered (GE) plants. A “de facto moratorium” is in place. In 2006, Guatemala approved a regulation for planting GE field trials and production of seed for export purposes only. Petitions for field trials have been granted on three occasions (two for corn and one for cotton), taking almost two years each for their approvals (for events that have been in the commercial markets for more than a decade – Bt, YieldGard, and Round-up Ready). The “de facto moratorium” imposes an enormous burden on Guatemalan farmers, who compete directly with their Honduran neighbors, who have been using the technology for the past fourteen years. Guatemala is a large importer of GE plant derived products for both human consumption and for animal feeding. Major suppliers of grains, especially corn, are the United States, Argentina, and Brazil, who have regulations in place to use biotechnology. The Government of Guatemala is limiting agricultural competitiveness, despite requests from the academia and the private sector to allow for biotechnology adoption.
